1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus capable of selectively performing processing to sheets received from the main body of an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, among image forming apparatuses such as copying machines and printers, there have been image forming apparatuses including sheet processing apparatuses capable of successively receiving sheets on which images have been formed and selectively performing, on the sheets, processing such as binding. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-263488 discloses a sheet processing apparatus which is structured such that sheets are discharged to and stacked on an intermediate stacking portion through an intermediate roller, then are aligned at their end portions on the intermediate stacking portion and, then, are subjected to binding processing through a binding device, such as a stapler. Then, joggers for aligning the end portions of the sheets, which are constituents of the intermediate portion, are evacuated to positions having, therebetween, a width greater than the sheet width, and the sheets which have been subjected to the binding processing through the stapler are stacked on a stack tray under the intermediate stacking portion.
Further, there are sheet processing devices including plural trays, in order to sort sheets according to the applications, in addition to binding functions such as staplers. For example, if plural trays as aforementioned are provided in the aforementioned sheet processing apparatus at an upper portion thereof, this will increase the size of the entire apparatus. However, by placing the aforementioned plural trays near the upper portions of the joggers, it is possible to structure the entire apparatus to have a reduced size.
However, in the case of structuring the apparatus as described above, when the joggers are evacuated to the outermost positions within the range through which the joggers are movable, there is induced the problem that the joggers interfere with removal of sheets stacked on the tray just above the joggers, thereby making it difficult to remove sheets.
Further, when the joggers are evacuated to the outermost positions within the range through which the joggers are movable, as described above, there is induced the problem of degradation of the viewability of sheets stacked on the tray under the joggers in a vertical direction.